What you should know about BBYO
You know the drill. Your Bar/Bat/B’nai Mitzvah is over (Mazel Tov btw) and you stand at a crossroads. Go this way and you continue with your organized Jewish journey. Go that way, and you don’t. No Monday night school, no Madrichim volunteering, “no thank you” to youth groups.
So what happens when you do a U-turn on your chosen path – and go from “not very involved” to becoming a leader of one of the most vibrant Jewish youth movements in Michigan?
Katie Vieder knows. And as the Michigan Senior Regional Director of Federation’s partner agency BBYO, she knows that joining a Jewish group for teens is a path well worth taking.
For the uninitiated BBYO describes themselves as “the leading pluralistic Jewish teen movement aspiring to involve more Jewish teens in more meaningful Jewish experiences. With a network of hundreds of chapters across North America and in 60 countries around the world, BBYO reaches nearly 70,000 teens annually and serves as the Jewish community’s largest and most valuable platform for delivering fun, meaningful and affordable experiences that inspire a lasting connection to the Jewish people.”
In other words, the perfect venue for your middle- and high school teenager to strengthen and grow their Jewish identity. But unlike going to college, not every Jewish kid is encouraged or expected to join a youth group (a decision they may regret, as you’ll see). Which is where Katie’s story begins.
A native of Farmington Hills, where she currently resides with her husband and two children, we had the chance to catch up with Katie to learn more about her and the organization she leads.
Questions for Katie
Tell us about your connection to BBYO growing up.
I was not very involved with BBYO as a teen, which I regret now as an adult who sees the incredible impact of the organization! Like many teens, my engagement with my congregation began to fizzle out after my Bat Mitzvah, and I became involved in after-school activities through my public school. While I had many Jewish friends, many of them were not involved Jewishly either.
How long have you been working for BBYO? How did you get involved with BBYO professionally?
I graduated college with a degree in Elementary Education, and after a few years realized teaching wasn’t my calling. While trying to figure out my next step, I did some volunteer work to fill my time and found I really enjoyed the programmatic aspect of non-profits. I took a part-time job with Friendship Circle as I continued to explore options and applied for a full-time role at BBYO on a whim. I was hired as the AZA Program Associate in 2011 and absolutely fell in love with the organization and our meaningful work.
BBYO was my entry point to serving as a Jewish communal professional, and from 2011-2018 I grew and developed within the organization, eventually becoming its Regional Director. After giving birth to my daughter in 2018, I left BBYO to serve as the JCC’s Senior Director of Community Partnerships but was excited to return “home” to BBYO as the Senior Regional Director in June 2023.
What is the most rewarding part of your job?
It is incredible to see the growth that takes place for our teens in BBYO. We see impact happen every day. Teens who may not have a social network at school come to events and feel like the most popular kid in the room. Teens who may not believe in themselves become the leaders of their chapter. Teens who may not have a connection to their Judaism feel a sense of pride in their religion and seek to engage further. Teens who may be struggling find support. We continuously see BBYO alumni step into leadership roles as lay-leaders or professionals. Each day, we see a teen touched by the magic of BBYO, and it makes me so proud to do the work that I do.
What are the most important things that readers should know and understand about BBYO?
BBYO aims to provide the tools to inspire, empower and motivate teens to be proud Jews. We meet teens where they’re at, allowing a low barrier entry point to Jewish engagement. Some teens come to BBYO just to hang out with other Jewish kids, and for us, that’s enough. Other teens come to BBYO because they want to grow as Jewish leaders and hope to be a Rabbi someday, and that is wonderful, too.
For us, no connection to Judaism is too big or too small. We just want teens to know that there is a place from them in the Jewish community, and because of our teen-led model, teens can decide what that means. Inclusivity is one of our core values, and we offer safe and welcoming opportunities to all Jewish teens regardless of denominational affiliation, gender, sexual orientation, race, abilities, or socioeconomic status. BBYO is helping to shape our future Jewish community. Today’s teens will go on to decide whether to be involved Jewishly on college campus, and their high school experience may also dictate the decisions they make as an adult regarding how to live their lives.
Is BBYO a youth group? How is it different?
BBYO identifies as a youth movement. What sets it apart from a typical youth group is its teen-led structure. BBYO puts teens in the driver’s seat, allowing them to design priorities and programming.
BBYO has three tiers of involvement – chapter, regional, and international – and there are teen leadership boards on each level that drive everything from membership recruitment to programming to budgeting. Another thing that makes BBYO unique is its global network. BBYO has over 700 chapters in 60+ different countries, and through international programming, teens build friendships with peers from across the world.
Why is it important that BBYO have a teen-led structure, where they are the visionaries and decision makers, and staff serve as solely their support system?
This is their experience, and it is important that teens feel a sense of control and responsibility in designing what that should look like. Teens know best what is meaningful for them and their peers, and by putting trust in them, we are allowing our programming to truly meet the needs of this population. Additionally, by giving teens the opportunity to serve as our visionaries, we are giving them the opportunity to gain important leadership skills that will be useful throughout their lives and the confidence to try new things.
Beyond funding, tell us the ways BBYO and the Jewish Federation of Detroit are connected?
Federation is one of BBYO’s most critical local partners. Along with supporting funding needs for our organization, Federation serves as a planning partner by providing important data and opportunities for community connection. Federation staff often engage in our programming as guest speakers or even as visitors. Federation is a great resource for connecting families to BBYO, ensuring that they are aware of the programming offered.
Why should my teen join BBYO? What impact does it have?
BBYO is the best gift a parent can give their child. We meet people in the community everyday who tell us that they are the person they are today (both professionally and personally) because of their BBYO experience. Teens who do BBYO walk away with life-long friendships, a stronger level of confidence, a connection to their Judaism, lots and lots of memories, and so much more.
How can my teen join BBYO?
Teens are eligible to join BBYO starting in January of their eighth-grade year when they are invited to participate in “Membership Rush” to explore all of the different BBYO chapters. Teens can join BBYO at any time, even if they didn’t participate in Rush. We encourage families to contact our office to get started so that we can make sure you have all the up-to-date information on our different chapters as well as upcoming chapter and regional events.
Connect with BBYO today.
You can find out more about BBYO here and the Michigan Region here. To get your teen started in BBYO, you can contact Katie diretly at (248) 849-0569.
